Gray
by Dailix
Summary: The Old Triforce is being sought after by a force greater than anything anyone's ever seen. The Legion is ruthless, abundant, and powerful. All of Ambion, Hyrule included, will be overrun... unless he can stop it. But can he? After OoT. Based off of the Sage of Time's Zelda Timeline. Some minor pairings, nothing too major, mainly one-sided.
1. Chapter 1

*** **A note before we start: This is the new version of a story I'd written years ago. Some parts are similar, other parts are completely new. The timeline I'm using is by the Sage of Time. I found it on google and thought it was very good. I didn't make these places and characters. Nothing is stolen, just borrowed for purposes of this story.

* * *

**Gray.**

Hyrule, yr. 2089

Ancient bricks held the stone walls that gated the area of the castle courtyard together, heavily guarded by soldiers to stop any unwanted visitors from entering. At the end of the winding path was a widened sector with a small unkempt pedestal, which would seem as though it had been built for the sole purpose of keeping the proper look befitting a grand, yet deteriorating castle. Though this small sanctuary had a much more meaningful purpose. It was once used as the, now sacred, precinct of the Princess of Destiny, her only escape from the daily rituals that ran her life.

It was this place where she had come to , this precinct where she would plot all of her insanely devious plans and spy on the servants from her small windowpane, where she would write her stories over and over again until she was certain she'd gotten them perfectly written, sing when she thought no one was listening, care about absolutely nothing...

It was here where he had met her.

And she, well...  
She'd met _him_.

Him. He who, to those who didn't know him, seemed to be a Hylian like any other. Quiet, but normal.  
But she knew better.

The young man that was now standing at the entrance to the sector felt his lips curve slightly into a semi-smile behind his covering.  
So did he.

The prophecies of old...  
The Hero of Time.

He'd seen it all happen.

Said prophecies had come true, though those without direct ties to the Hero wouldn't have taken notice as he completed his mission, defeating the evil being that had tried to dominate Hyrule and restoring it's peace before returning to his original state, undetected. It was all rather ironic, really.

It's no wonder why they say good things never last.

The boy known as Hyrule's savior had vanished awhile back, with no trace as to where he had gone, leaving the poor soul recalling the instance with a predicament in his hands.

The man, known as one of the Sheikah, allowed himself to roam the courtyard, gliding his hand absentmindedly for a moment along the wall as he viewed the broken pedestal, dull flowers surrounding the area. He knelt down, gently leaning on the old piece of stone as he lifted one of the dried buds off of the ground. The same smile that he'd had before graced his lips again, his eyes devoid of emotion.

It didn't take much effort to remember...

* * *

_His fingers grazed over the petals of the flower, it's color a vibrant blue, contrasting with the many reds and pinks that were around it. Kneeling in the grass, he waited._

_For whom?  
__Not even the lad knew that._

_All he knew was that he was told to come to the castle courtyard, and that he was not to mention it. To anyone.  
__It certainly seemed important. One of the royal family members must have need of his services. The Queen maybe? Or even… the King?_

_ Needless to say, he was nervous.  
__..._extremely_ nervous._

_He began to fidget, as he did when he was under pressure. Impa always told him not to let on that he was nervous, let alone show any other emotion, to anyone. Seen as how he was one of the Sheikah, and since their kind was constantly attacked, Impa had said that it was always important to be careful not to show your enemy what you're thinking. But he simply couldn't help it. _

_Wait… why would the King need to talk to him? At only 11 years of age, and a __Sheikah__ boy, no less?_

_ That answered that question. It wasn't the King who needed him.  
__Maybe the Queen?  
__Hmm...but that didn't make any sense either._

_...or perhaps there was someone else inside the castle.  
__Like a prince!_

_That seemed to satisfy his question of 'whom', and he instantly began to relax a bit. At least it wasn't as serious as he's thought. What could a prince want with him? A playmate, maybe? That wouldn't be so terrible-_

_But Impa would NOT be pleased..._

_Oh the plights he got himself int-_

_He stiffened as he heard a soft noise coming from the entrance to the courtyard. His first instinct was to draw his knife, and Impa always said to trust your first instinct..._

_So, that's what he did. But as he turned…_

_He was caught off guard. _

_Standing in front of him was…_

_She gazed at him questioningly, eyes shifting from his knife to his outstretched arm, and then resting on his face. _

_ "...what're you doing?"_

_ ...a princess?_

_Well, this certainly surprised the young boy. He blinked a few times before slowly lowering his weapon and straightening himself. Replacing the knife, he eyed the girl, looking over her thoroughly so as to not miss any detail. _

_No arguing. She was a princess. The crest of the Royal Family on her garb gave that much away. He wondered why he hadn't thought of this before...? _

_He had to admit to himself, she was pretty. Her blond hair was pushed back into a headdress, her eyes an incredibly deep blue. She began to advance, and he mentally noted that she was quite young, at least a year and a half younger than he. She walked in a way that made her look as though she was rather uncomfortable. _

_Of course, she had to be wearing at least five layers, and it was the middle of summer. _

_ She walked right up to him, making him feel a little unsure of himself. What should he say?  
__Well, that was an easy one._

_He cleared his throat._

_"I...Good morning, princess." He bowed stiffly, out of respect._

_She looked him over, as he had to her, and gave a slight shake of the head.  
__"You don't have to feel obliged to bow to me, you know."_

_She'd obviously caught the hint of disappointment in his words. Or maybe she'd seen it in his face. That's probably why she looked so uncomfortable before._

_Standing upright, he looked at her again. There was only the slightest look of hurt in her eyes...but no denying it was there. She sighed and walked past him to a small raised platform with a window which could be used to look into the castle. _

_ Seeing her face...  
__he felt ashamed._

_ "I-I'm sorry, I...I didn't mean-" _

_She held up a hand and he stopped his sentence. "It's alright..." she said quietly. "I'm rather used to it by now."_

_He looked away. Great. What a way to make a first impression...and she was the princess, of all people. He felt badly of himself for leading her to believe that he thought less of her because she was..._

_Well, __a girl._

_Of course, he wasn't used to this, seen as how all of the high-rankers in his village were normally male.  
__Save for Impa._

_ He suddenly had the oncoming urge to stab someone...  
__-maybe himself?_

_He pondered that possibility. _

_Yea,  
__he'd do._

_ "...ght-?"_

_He snapped back to reality and shifted his gaze back up to the princess. "Yes? I'm sorry, did you say something, princess?"_

_"I asked if you were alright." She looked at him suspiciously. "You seem to be somewhere else at the moment."_

_"Oh, I was just thinking..." he didn't want to keep referring to her as 'princess', so he decided it was best to find the right way to ask for her name without seeming any more like a jerk. "If you don't mind me asking, might I know your name? That is if it isn't too bold. I feel it is improper to simply call attention to you as princess."_

_She smiled a bit and nodded. "You may. My name is Zelda."  
__Zelda... alright._

_"Forgive me then, Princess Zelda. I was out of line to judge you before I'd even spoken to you. If there's anything I can do to show you-"_

_"It's fine, I don't mind it at all. I know in times like these everyone expected for my parents to give birth to a boy but...well, fate had planned otherwise. I'm alright with it. And don't worry, I forgive you. It's not a sin to judge, Sheik."_

_ Wow._

_ He was almost taken aback by her words. For such a young girl, she acted really mat-_

_His face went instantly blank. She didn't make any indication that she'd noticed, though it was rather clear the blood was draining from his face. _

_Now he was suspicious._

_ "...I...don't believe I've yet mentioned my name to you, Princess Zelda."_

_She smiled. It was an indescribable smile, the kind that made the young Sheikah feel like he was part of an experiment. The kind that made him feel like he was being watched. "No..." replied she, "you haven't. And please," she then added, "its Zelda."_

_That didn't really answer the question he was implying within his statement, so he decided to try again. "... Zelda." He felt odd and out of place saying her name so…straight-forwardly. "Could you tell me __how__ you know my name?"_

_He saw her face become doubtful as she hesitated. He waited patiently while she took a deep breath and let it back out, contemplating her explanation. _

_"Well..." she started, wringing her hands, "You see, I..." she let out a huff before breathing out her words, "I had a dream. A vision, if you will. But," she added, noticing his eyebrow quirk. She raised a hand. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but just... hear me out. I'll make it brief." She cleared her throat. "Anyhow...it was a little blurry, but I could have sworn I'd seen the Three. They had been descending from the skies as a figure appeared centered in my vision. The Three merged, and, Triforce surrounding him, the figure held the Master Sword in his hands. The vision shifted, I could see more clearly now. I was in a village...actually, it was home to a certain clan of people whom I think you'd know _very_ well as the Sheikah." _

_Sheik's head rose instantly from the part of the ground that his eyes had found so intriguing. _

_She continued on. "As I neared the well, another figure started to form. I could distinctly see the shape of a body, and knew it must have been a boy. He was older, 17 maybe. He turned to me, and I felt like I'd met him before. Nearly a second later, a name just appeared in my head." She looked at him and smiled. "It was yours, Sheik."_

_Sheik didn't quite understand. "But..." he gazed at her through crimson eyes, "how do you know it was me?"_

_"I wasn't sure what the word had meant at first, but... when I saw you today, I knew it was your name. I knew it had to be you." She turned to the window and her eyes dropped slightly. "I don't know what is to befall Hyrule as of yet, but... I do know that the figure I saw... he will be our savior. I'm sure of it. And," she turned around to face him again, hands clamped hopefully in front of her. "I know that you will play a very important part in fulfilling the prophecy that is bound to come. Please, Sheik." _

_Zelda walked off of her platform and went to stand in front of him. "You believe me...don't you-?"_

_Sheik blinked. Of course he believed her...  
__Didn't he?_

_ "We need you."_

_Well, how else would you explain the situation? It wasn't as if this could be some tall-tale she'd recently made up. _

_And he'd gotten the feeling that…well…  
__He could trust her._

_And Sheik...  
__Sheik trusted no one._

_ ... Well, nearly._

_He rested a reassuring hand on hers and met pleading eyes. He spoke softly, as if to make sure she knew how sincere his words were. "Of course I believe you, Zelda." _

_Her face lit up and, before Sheik knew what had happened, he found himself grabbing onto the small pedestal in the middle of the yard for balance as she'd flung her arms around him. _

_"Oh, thank you, Sheik, thank you..." She half whispered to him in relief. He couldn't help but feel that he'd grown slightly flushed by the action. It wasn't everyday that he was shown affection to by anyone, let alone been __hugged__ much. Thankfully, his face covering hid part of his nose and cheeks, seen as it was too big for him. He thanked Din for that as Zelda pulled off. _

_ It wasn't quite the meeting he'd been expecting to have at the castle..._

_...but no one said he was complaining._

* * *

Not too long after his unexpected introduction with the Princess would she be telling our savior of his task, of her second and more vital vision, around eight months later, to be exact. That was ten years ago.

He had previously attempted to read the stone that he knelt before now. Futile attempts, as the characters were that of an ancient tongue that only the Northern Sheikah Tribe across the treacherous borders of Death Mountain had managed to hang onto throughout the ages. He had only been taught a few symbols known to the Sheikah that had resided in Kakariko, but with the ones he did know, he always figured this had to be a column dedicated to the Three, possibly where Zelda had once prayed for guidance.

Of course, it was decrepit now...  
And by the look of it, there had formerly been a statue atop.

Sheik sighed.

It was a shame to see something this sacred let alone to decay.

He was contemplating this when he heard a noise from behind.  
Freezing only momentarily to listen, he swiftly unclasped two of his knives.

He waited for another moment, listening again...

...

-_Snap.- _

He sent the blades spiraling, one right after the other.

They would have reached their target too...  
If she'd been anyone else.

With a swift wave of the hand, she dismissed the knives and they flew into the wall beside her. The dumbfounded Sheikah gave a barely audible noise of relief.

Zelda, arms crossed, quirked a brow at him, half of a smile forming on her face. "Thanks for the welcome."

Sheik looked up at his Queen, the temptation to return her smile apparent in his eyes. And he almost returned it, too.

Almost.

She started to walk over, in an odd way that could almost be defined as a saunter.

Again, almost.

That's basically what their relationship was based on.

But these thoughts of 'almost' left his head as he subtly noticed her new garb. As always, she looked radiant. Her choice of clothing had changed drastically since he'd last seen her. They'd also gotten a bit more…

He had to stop himself from staring.  
This wasn't what he was supposed to be focusing on.

How long had it been?

A few months?

Longer?

He wasn't sure anymore. He barely saw the Queen. She was so busy lately...  
It seemed she forgot about her life sometimes.

He hadn't seen her much since the Hero had disappeared. That was 3 years ago. Since then his visits had become infrequent to say the least.  
And yet, here he was, as his agenda would have it.

Sheik knelt before her, bowing graciously. "My Queen."

She rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. He stood and she placed her hands on her hips.

"You know, you aren't obliged to-"  
"To bow to you, yes..." he finished for her, "so I've heard."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him into a hug. He hesitantly returned it, still not quite accustomed to this form of affection.

He just couldn't get used to this sort of thing.

She released him and backed away, looking over him in return. He hadn't changed much, he was a bit taller, but that didn't phase her, she was tall as well. His clothes were still the same, and she seemed unimpressed.

"You should take a new wardrobe into consideration," Zelda commented, flicking her eyes over him once more.

"It's the garb of the Sheikah. To change it would be shameful. But I see you've changed your look considerably," he added, nodding down to her dress, suppressing a nonexistent something in his throat.

She smiled again. "The wear of the Queen should be somewhat different than that of just a Princess, no?" It was then when she let a bit of a dry laugh escape her and the smile faded a little. "Tell me, Sheik, what brings you to my old courtyard?"

Sheik gave the overgrown garden another once-over. "Nostalgia, I suppose."

Zelda, looking around as well, gave an exasperated sigh. "Well, I'm afraid there is no nostalgia left in this place."

"I don't know," Sheik disagreed. "It doesn't take much for me to remember. But all old memories aside," his face turned serious, "I do need to speak with you."

She eyed him, her smile completely gone now. "About what?"

He didn't waste any time in getting to the point. "I need to know what you've learned about the war outside of Hyrule."

This caught her attention. She seemed mildly aggravated, but it still caught her attention.

For years, the rumors of an army building up in Olmor had been circulating, and the kingdoms outside of Hyrule had been arming themselves in response. They had just been rumors, until recently when the Olmorian race broke through the Gods' barriers around their continent and began to wreak havoc on the others.

Their destination was what concerned the Sheikah.

She crossed her arms. "Why would you have any interest in events happening outside of Hyrule?"

Sheik gave her a look. "Come on, Zelda." Did she really think he was that naive? "I know the army in Olmor has been on the move, and I know as well as you do where they are headed."

Zelda looked distraught. "What do you want to know, Sheik?" Her fuse was shortening quickly.

"I need to know if they've arrived."

Zelda, clearly not fond of the topic, gave a huff and turned away. "I don't like where this is going."

She may have not liked it, but she knew exactly where it was going.

"You know as well as I do that the Sheikah are surrounding Calatia." Sheik stated firmly. "They live in the mountains directly across from the Farral Islands. They're directly in the line of fire."

The Northern Sheikah tribe outside of Calatia was the largest, and last, Sheikah tribe of them all. They had lived amongst the mountains around the kingdom for centuries, guarding their most prized possession: a piece of the Old Triforce known as the Triforce of Magic.

Celsion, the God of Magic, along with Sefilar and Omron, created the Old Triforce to keep the order in their lands outside of Hyrule. After giving a piece to their respective races to keep safe, Omron had decided that his race should hold all of the pieces. After a brief war waged, Celsion and Sefilar set barriers along the continent of Olmor, and sealed it.

Somehow, as fate would have it, the seal was now broken. The Olmorians, or the Legion, as they'd been called before, were on their way to take the two remaining pieces of the Triforce, one of which was in Calatia.

This didn't sit well with Sheik.

"I need to know if they've advanced through those mountains."

"What does it matter?"

Sheik was a little aghast at this. What did it matter? He was getting angry. "Zelda, I'm the last Sheikah left in Hyrule. My kind is disappearing from Ambion quickly, and you ask what it matters?" He looked at her in disbelief. "It's all that matters to me." He lowered his voice. "You of all people should know that."

Zelda wasn't sure what to say. Sheik kept pushing.

"Look… You know this is important to me. Please… just tell me what's going on."

He gave her a stern look and she finally gave in. "… It's what we've expected. The horde has advanced. They are reaching the mountains soon."

Sheik cursed under his breath. "When were you going to tell me?"

"I wasn't," Zelda confessed.

Sheik was starting to lose his temper.

Zelda, sensing this, continued. "I knew that if I'd told you you'd want to go. I knew you'd try to leave, but… I can't let you. You can't."

Of course, she meant that he couldn't quite literally.

The reason that Sheik had come to speak with her was because after Ganon had been sealed in the Sacred Realm, Zelda had placed a protective seal of her own to disconnect Hyrule from the outside world. To Sheik's dismay, only she, aside from the Hero's light arrows, could pierce its walls.  
It was driving him insane.

"Zelda, these people are my brethren. They are the last of my kind. How can I sit here in this... this…"  
He gestured around angrily. He knew he wasn't getting through to her.

His eyes falling on her face once more, he dropped his arms. Turning away, he realized that she wasn't going to listen.  
She was so stubborn sometimes.

"Never mind. I got the information I came for."

He turned to leave.

"Wait."

He had half a mind not to stop, but he suppressed that half for a moment and slowed to a halt.

"Sheik…" Zelda's voice was pleading now. "Wait. Please."

And at that slight change in her voice, he already felt his adrenaline decreasing.  
He glanced over his shoulder. She looked at him through desperate eyes, and he sighed.

He was fighting a losing battle.

He always was.

As he knelt beside her in the grass, picking up small talk as though the previous conversation hadn't happened, he couldn't help but feel disempowered. Even upon leaving the castle he felt… strange.

He didn't feel like a Sheikah.  
Come to think of it, he didn't think he'd felt like a Sheikah in a long time.

It dawned on him that perhaps… he was becoming soft.

Entering the marketplace with that in mind, he bore left and swerved through the crowds of people, heading straight towards the giant stone steps that he knew so well.

Approaching the massive temple, his decision was already subconsciously made.

He respected his Queen...  
But there were other battles that needed fighting.  
And he was tired of being on the sidelines.


	2. Chapter 2

**Gray.**

Sheik leaned against the wall of the temple, staring blankly at the pedestal that was once again holding the master sword, the blade of evil's bane. In a way the room was peaceful. Undisturbed. The once eerie presence in the place had become a comforting one. Sheik guessed it was because of the seal being put back into place. Though… he couldn't shake this feeling he'd been having recently.

Something was definitely… off.

He strummed his harp idly, his mind wandering back to the courtyard.

It might have been that he had an ever-growing fondness for the Queen, but he couldn't help but feel guilty for being here. He knew she had her reasons for trying to restrict involvement with the outside world.

Still, as he strummed, he couldn't help feeling cheated.

As he subconsciously began playing the light's prelude, he could feel more than one aura around him, and he was suddenly becoming very aware of the presence outside of his own.

He could feel it growing stronger… and he knew they were listening.  
Moving closer to the pedestal, he knelt down on one knee, and began to pray.

'Goddesses of Hyrule, Gods in Ambion. It is I, Sheik, humbly calling for your aid,' he began, all the while strumming the beautiful prelude he'd first learned as a child. 'I ask you now in my time of need. Please. Show me my way.'

For a moment he listened to the echo of the melody in the room, and his ear likened the reverb of it to a whisper.

'Guide me with your courage, your wisdom, your power, and in doing so show me mine. Counsel me with your magic. Nurture me, and forgive my sins.'

He continued to the end of the song and, once it was done, tucked his harp safely away.

'By your will.'

He couldn't remember the last time he'd taken the time to fully say a prayer, and he had to admit…  
He was a little rusty.

Still, he felt satisfied enough.

But now what?  
He wasn't sure where he was supposed to begin…  
He hadn't really accomplished anything.

Slumping against the wall again, he contemplated his next move.

He supposed he could search for a gap or a weak spot in the barrier.  
… No, that would take far too long.

He could search for the Hero. His light arrows could pierce through it quick enough.  
Except for the fact that he had no idea where he was.

In fact, thinking about it, he was probably outside of Hyrule right now.

At this, Sheik felt a pang of jealousy. If the Hero was outside of Hyrule, which seemed more and more likely since he hadn't been seen for three years, then why hadn't he said anything before he'd left?

And if he was out beyond the border, had he been fighting all this time, since the war had started?  
Had he been fighting at all?

He sighed. He needed some kind of clue.

He decided that, until that clue came, he would start by retrieving supplies for the trip.  
He wondered if the bazaar was open this late at night.  
But as he was about to leave, contemplating the kinds of prices that he'd be forced to endure in the market…

He heard a noise from deep within the temple.

He spun around and froze.  
His breathing became so slow and quiet that it nearly stopped, a reaction he was used to from his training.

…

The faint sound happened again, echoing off of the walls. It was so light that it was barely audible.

He moved slowly back through the temple, straining to hear.

At first it was silent, the only sound Sheik heard being his own pulse in his ears.  
But soon, the voice returned, louder this time.

'_Sheik.'  
_It spoke with such soft intensity, such intention.  
He automatically knew it wasn't human.

He looked around to be sure that no one had entered the temple, and when he was sure that he was alone, he re-entered the hall of evil's bane once more.

The silence became deafening, and the roll of a whisper building up knew it was going to speak again. This time, when it did, Sheik could recognize it as a woman.

'_Sheik. Come._'

It seemed to be coming from the center of the hall.

His instincts told him to stay away, but after years of being sheltered from the danger he'd been trained for, his curiosity was a stronger part of him. He moved toward the pedestal.

The light was shifting, but Sheik somehow knew the voice wouldn't hurt him. In fact, he was pretty sure he knew exactly who it was.

A pool of light gathered in front of the pedestal, and in it, a feminine figure appeared.  
Her voice was distinct now.

'_Sheik, of the Sheikah.'_

He stood there, dumbstruck.  
Before him, barely ten feet away, stood a figure engulfed in a blazing red light.

It was she. Maker of the red earth whom the mighty Goron fondly called Mother. The Goddess of Power.

Din.

Sheik had heard of the Goddesses appearing to their worshippers before but had never experienced it firsthand. In fact, he'd dismissed the stories as fakes.  
He knelt before her, not saying a word.

She looked at him knowingly. Warmly.

'_Too long has it been since you have asked for our guidance._'

She moved closer, and Sheik could feel the heat radiating off of her apparition.

'_Too long has it been since we've heard a Sheikah's prayers._'

Sheik bowed his head in respect. "My lady."

She stopped in front of him.  
'_Rise,_' she commanded_._

He stood, blinking in the intensity of the light.

'_You know why I am here.'  
_Sheik nodded.

'_You know_ _of the power that is being sought.'  
_Again, he nodded.

'_You know of the perils that your world faces._'  
Sheik felt a surge of confidence as he nodded a third time. He knew why she was saying this. It was the only explanation for why she'd shown herself.

She must've known that he was ready.

Slowly she turned around. '_But…_' she started, and his breath hitched. But what?

She glided over to the pedestal, gesturing to the sword.  
'_You have yet to learn…_' she placed a hand on the hilt,_ 'of the dangers that lie beyond this realm._'

At this, the Sheikah's interest was peaked, and he looked in her direction.  
Beyond this realm?

So that meant…  
The Sacred Realm.

Was it also in jeopardy?

How could that be possible? They'd sealed the Realm after Ganon had been defeated. There was no way.

…

There was simply no way.

Sheik didn't understand.  
Had Ganon started this… even from inside the Sacred Realm?

Suddenly he had so many questions.

He was startled when he felt a warm sensation. The Goddess had returned, resting a reassuring hand on his arm. Her eyes bore into his sole, and he immediately felt comforted.

'_You were right to come here._'

And with that…  
She was gone, plunging him and his surroundings into darkness.

As if on cue, Sheik heard the familiar sound of stone scraping against the marble floor.

Someone was coming.

He leapt back into the shadows, wondering when it had gotten so dark, but ultimately thanking the Gods for the blackening night.  
He heard the low thunking of boots coming up the steps. A figure, just taller than he, emerged through the archway. It was too dark inside the Temple to make out a face, but as he passed the small amount of moonlight peaking through the window, the bright shimmer of a blade told Sheik that he was carrying a nicely crafted sword.

But apparently, he had his sights set on a more impressive blade.

Sheik watched in silence as he approached the pedestal, preparing his attack. The adrenaline surging through his body he'd been so used to years ago felt new, and he could feel his mind and body reverting back to their basic training.

The man stopped, examining the ancient sword that stood in front of him.  
The hesitation was enough for Sheik to make his move.

He advanced quickly. Just as the stranger's hand was reaching out for the hilt-

_Clink._

The knife made contact with the man's gauntlet, knocking his arm out of the way. It returned to Sheik's outstretched hand and he held it to the back of his opponent's neck.

"Don't move," he snarled, his voice low and menacing.  
But who'd ever listened to that command?

The stranger unsheathed his sword and swung around at Sheik in a matter of seconds, the force surprising the Sheikah.  
He leapt back in an attempt to unhook his hidden daggers, but the man was fast. He knocked Sheik's hands away with… some kind of wooden weapon?

'Lucky shot.' Sheik thought.

He guessed he was sticking to the knives, then.  
But as he went to throw them, he was blocked by the man's sword, their blades locked together.

'He blocked me? Again?' Sheik thought in disbelief, again leaping backward to put himself out of danger.

Watching the man circle him, he thought this must be what his victims used to feel like.  
He must really be rusty.

He also must've taken a moment too long to dwell on this, as his attacker came at him again, this time catching him off guard. Sheik lost his balance.  
Within seconds he was down, his assailant atop him.

Luckily having one of his knives out already, he sliced the man's chest, making his grip slacken in an attempt to avoid being cut.  
Sheik wasted no time getting to his feet.

Standing at either ends of the room, the men stared at each other through the dark, waiting for the other to pounce.  
Sheik shifted his weight, thinking of what to do next. 'I need to test him,' he thought, '… but how?'  
Feeling the knife in his hand, he was struck with an idea.

He tossed it carelessly so that it was headed for the man's leg. The man hit it forcefully with his blade, sending it back at Sheik; a reflex. Sheik caught it and pondered the reaction.

'Hm…'

He took a step to the right.  
The man took one to the left.

He jumped forward.  
The man leapt back.

He went to toss another dagger.  
The man caught it and threw it directly at the Sheikah's forehead.

'He's had a lot of training.' Sheik concluded after dodging the small weapon.  
But his partner didn't seem to be interested in these petty games.

He charged forward, sword ready to strike.

Sheik was ready for him. He slid to the right just as the man swung, and with a swift, strong hand, knocked the blade loose from his grip, sending it onto the floor with a loud clang.

He grinned victoriously to himself.  
'But he's impulsive.'

Sheik made his way over to the sword, deftly dodging the man's attempts to grab at him.

He went to reach for it-  
Luckily, he retracted his hand in time, as an arrow landed right where it would've been.  
He was surprised enough to almost dismiss the fact that the head of the thing had an odd glow surrounding it...  
Oddly… familiar, that is.

He looked back at his foe, who was currently notching another arrow, the glow illuminating his features.  
Sheik didn't need to see his features, though, to know who it was.  
Or at least to have a good idea.

He decided that, to test his theory,  
it was time for some ranged fighting.

Jumping to the right to avoid the second arrow, Sheik calculated his possibilities.

If he was correct…  
Than the advantage was now his.

He just needed to waste those arrows.

Being sure to keep his distance, the two fell into a sort of dance, one that Sheik was fully manipulating. He'd pretend to settle into a stance and then, when another arrow was shot, he'd shift his weight or continue his maneuvering. Until finally…

A slight pause and the sound of a chain being unfurled confirmed his suspicions. With a jolt of excitement, he kicked the hook at the end of it away, causing the chain to go slack and avoiding a deadly blow.

His assailant was getting angry.  
But Sheik wasn't ready to end the fun just yet.

He jumped backwards, crouching down into the dark corners of the room. He watched as his opponent struggled to see through the darkness, a task that Sheik had mastered years ago. He ran, swiftly and silently around the room until he was behind his bewildered enemy.

Unhooking another dagger, he stealthily crept forward. He reached out, purposefully jabbing the man with his dagger's handle, who swung around, aiming for his head.

Sheik took this opportunity to toy with him. He dodged and retreated to his backside again, this time slicing the leather strap that held his quiver on his back.  
His remaining arrows scattered onto the floor, and he seemed significantly frazzled.

Not too quick to retaliate, Sheik knew his foe didn't know what to do.  
It was time to end the charade.

Stepping closer to the light, Sheik was the first to speak.

"I thought it might be you," he said with a satisfied grin.

The other man stayed silent. Sheik took this as an invitation.

"It's been far too long… Link."


	3. Chapter 3

**Gray.**

Link, who had taken a few steps backward, stood motionless, still shrouded by his cloak. There was an odd tension in the air that Sheik was eager to disperse.

He took another step forward.  
Link drew his sword again.

Sheik stopped, confused by Link's reaction.  
Had he already forgotten?

"Do you not recognize me?" Sheik asked, wondering how that could be possible.

He didn't answer.

After a few minutes, Sheik wondered if he'd ever speak. Or move.  
But, as his patience started to wear,  
Link started walking.

… Toward him.

Sheik could feel his heart racing in anticipation, all the while keeping a straight face.  
Though it was proving increasingly difficult to hide his excitement.

Moved into the light, he slowly removed his shroud.

And sure enough,  
... There he was.

The Hero.

They stared at each other for a brief moment, but that was plenty of time for Sheik to thoroughly study him.  
As he stared into the face he'd known so well, he had a odd feeling of nostalgia inappropriately accompanied by uneasiness.  
Link was… different.  
He looked the same. His blonde hair and strong face exactly how Sheik had remembered, save for a few minor scars.

But…  
He was different.

There was wisdom in his eyes…  
an experience in his face that Sheik hadn't known in him before.

He looked so much older.  
It was making Sheik uncomfortable.

Link looked at him questioningly, his blue eyes burning into Sheik's crimson ones. He looked as though he couldn't quite figure him out.

There were so many things Sheik wanted to say, that he wanted to ask him. Where had he been? Why was he here? When did he get back? What had he been doing this whole time? Why was he staring at him like a lost puppy? The usual.  
Of course, he couldn't seem to get his mouth to work, so instead, he gave him an interrogative stare.  
Not unlike the one he was receiving.

Feeling a little sheepish, he decided to go with stating the obvious.

"You're staring," he said, and immediately felt like an idiot. He tried to cover up his general comment. "Do I really look that different?"

Link looked as though he was about to say something, but couldn't find the words.

Sheik idly wondered if he looked as surprised as Link did.

Finally, he spoke.

"I'm… well, I have to admit that I'm a bit puzzled," he said, his voice deep and mellow. "I didn't expect to see you here."

That was understandable, Sheik thought. No one had really been inside this temple for years it looked like.  
But Sheik decided to get straight to business.

"I guess I could be saying the same thing. After all," Sheik mused, "it has been about three years since anyone's seen you."

Sheik could've sworn that for the slightest moment, a look of guilt crossed over Link's features.

Link cleared his throat, a sign of discomfort. "What I meant is that I would've expected you to be at the castle."

It was Sheik's turn to be confused. The castle?  
Why would he be there?

"Yes. I mean, I would've thought you'd be too busy to leave, let alone to come here."  
Wait… could it be that he still…

"I'm also curious as to why you are wearing that."  
Oh.  
Sheik understood.  
Link thought that he was-

"Zelda?"

Sheik's excitement had dwindled down and now the only thing he felt was a little frustrated.  
Not one of his smarter plans…

* * *

"_You want me to… what?_"

_Sheik tried not to let his face portray his desperation, though he was having some trouble masking it in his voice._

_The princess sighed, not sure how to respond to his insane idea.  
__He felt his hope draining quickly._

"_Zelda… it's only for a little while, so the Hero can finish his task and retrieve all of the medallions. Besides, Ganondorf is still looking for you and he will stop at nothing."_

"_I've hidden for this long, Sheik." Zelda reassured him. "He hasn't found me yet."_

"_You can't hide forever. He'll find you sooner or later, unless you have an alias. You wouldn't just be helping yourself; you'd also be doing me a big favor. Please, Zel…"_

_Zelda surveyed him through unconvinced eyes. "I don't know, Sheik."_

_Sheik unintentionally gave a huff of frustration and turned to Impa. "Impa, please. You know what I'm suggesting is a good-"_

"_I know what you are suggesting Sheik." The older Sheikah rose. "I agree that it seems we have no other option. However…"_

_Sheik groaned inwardly._

"_That is for the princess to decide, not I."_

_They stood in silence for a few seconds, and Sheik looked expectantly at Zelda. He idly wondered how they hadn't been found already with all of the time they'd spent debating._

_Zelda crossed her arms. "So…" she started thoughtfully, "you want me to disguise myself… as a Sheikah."_

"_As myself," Sheik corrected her._

"_As you. You want me to pretend to be you and help Link finish his work… while you remain… where?"_

"_I will go to Datmar. Rumors have circulated about an arrow that carries the light of the sun in its body. Otherwise known as light arrows," he clarified. "They, ultimately, are the only thing that can break through Ganondorf's defenses so that Ganon can be defeated." _

_Zelda thought about this, unable to argue. "Well…" she began hesitantly, "how will Link even know who I- … who you are? I doubt he'll take advice from a stranger."_

"_He knows who I am."_

_At this, Impa turned her head toward Sheik, eyes flickering with interest._

_"I have been helping him for awhile now, though I've only really spoken to him a few times. The goddesses made it quite clear on what it was they wanted me to do," he finished, pulling out the harp he'd received years earlier._

_Zelda gave a small gasp. "That harp..."_

_ "It is one from the Royal Family. I do not know exactly how it came to be in my possession..." he glanced up at her, "but I know that it was given to me for a reason. And that reason was to help the Hero of Time."_

_ "There are six sacred melodies that Hyrule's past has kept hidden...whispers of the tunes had traveled through the generations of Sheikah before mine. I did not know what the hints had meant then...but I am certain now that it had always been my job to learn the tunes and teach them to the Hero when the time came."_

_ He looked up at Zelda, his eyes determined. _

_ "Zelda..."_

_She too shared his glance._

_ "...That time is now."_

* * *

Sheik had done what he'd set out to do; he found the light arrows. Little did he know that upon his return, Zelda had revealed herself to Link a lot sooner than Sheik would've liked, resulting in her imminent capture.

Sheik had planned on being there when Zelda unveiled their secret, but since he wasn't…  
It must mean that Link still thought there was no Sheik to begin with.

"No." Sheik said flatly.

Link was confused. Again.

"How do I explain this…" Sheik started. "I'm not Zelda. She was disguised in my clothing while I was off on an… errand. I needed her to teach you the rest of the melodies in my absence."

Link stared at him blankly for a moment. "What?"

"Yes." Sheik confirmed. "It's true. I'm Sheik."

Link stayed quiet for a moment while he processed this oddity. "I don't..." he started, and then he thought about it.

Sheik let him think, all the while hoping that he'd just understand and accept the news so they could move forward.

"So… Zelda was disguised as you?"  
Sheik nodded.

Link looked utterly bewildered. "Why?"

"It was the only way you'd find the temples while I was away."

He pointed to Sheik again. "So… you're Sheik."  
Sheik nodded again.

"… And… everything's just as I remember it."

"…" Sheik hesitantly nodded again.

"So if that was Zelda…"

At that moment, Sheik wasn't sure he liked where this was going. Especially when he suddenly found flames licking at his neck, the arrow now notched into the Hero's bow lit a brilliant...  
Green?

"Then…" His voice was oddly cautious.

"Who exactly are you?"

Sheik paused for just a moment before straightening his back and sheathing away any visible emotion from his face, though he could clearly feel the odd heat from the arrowhead absorbing his strength.  
They stared at one another, neither of them budging. Link's expression, contrastive to Sheik's blank one, was set to be menacing, but was failing to mask hints of interest.

Sheik kept his composure, hiding all evidence of being uncomfortable. He was very tempted to shield himself in some way.

But instead, he calmly replied. "You already know who I am. I'm the last Sheikah in Hyrule. It was my job to help you find your way to the temples and awaken the sages."

"If it was your job, why give it to Zelda?" Link asked, almost immediately.

"I didn't. We met a few times before Zelda assumed my role. It wasn't until the end that she stepped in for me."

"Uh-huh." Link mulled this over for a minute. "So tell me, 'Sheik'…" He sounded mostly unconvinced, but slightly entertained as well. "Why did Zelda feel that she needed to step in for you? Were you not up to the Princess's… standards?"

Sheik was started to get very annoyed; he didn't take mocking lightly. The fact that Link wasn't really trying to hide his smirk made it that much worse.

"She didn't. It was my idea."

This peaked Link's interest, and knocked that smug look off of his face, which Sheik liked very much.

"Her Highness was only filling in for me while I was on an… errand. She wasn't supposed to get herself captured."

Link's eyes narrowed inquisitively. "What errand?"

Sheik indicated to Link's quiver. "Your light arrows. I knew you'd be facing Ganon soon and went to retrieve them."

Link eyed him for another moment, Sheik growing increasingly uncomfortable and queasy.  
He finally pulled the arrow away from the Sheikah's throat, cautiously holding it away from his body before blowing out the end tenderly and tucking the arrow away.

Sheik coughed subtly. He could feel his strength returning. "… What was on that arrow?"

Link shrugged. "Some kind of poison, I think."

'Naturally,' Sheik thought sarcastically. "You know…" Sheik started, as Link gathered the rest of his affects, "I think it's my turn to ask a few questions of my own."

"Oh?" Link said idly, replacing his hookshot.

"Yes. There are some things that I think I have the right to know. First of all, after the fight with Ganon, you were supposed to return to your own time, but… you left without saying a word. And you were gone for so long. I think that that deserves an explanation."

Link looked at him incredulously. "You're kidding."

Sheik, who had pretty much been expecting him to agree, was taken aback by his reaction. No. He wasn't kidding, actually. Far from it.

"No. Second of all, what the hell have you been doing all of this time? There's a war going on. I don't know if you know anything about it but it's been going on for a while. If you do know about it, then you know something has to be done."

Link shot him a look of disbelief, snatched up his arrows angrily, and started to make his way out of the temple, all the while muttering to himself, though Sheik could hear a few choice words making their way into his rant. At the bottom of the steps he swung about as though he was going to say something and then decided against it, not even bothering to shut the stone door behind him.

Sheik watched him leave, his mouth agape.  
Was it something he'd said?


End file.
